Berhampur, Jan. 20: The mean temperature of the Earth had increased by 0.6°C over the past 140 years because of global warming, said V.R. Nerrala, an environmental scientist from Canada, who was speaking at the Berhampur University last evening.
The university’s Earth sciences and technology cell and the geophysics department had organised a seminar called “Global warming, its impact and challenges”.
Nerrala said: “The release of greenhouse gases by developed countries is maximum.”
The effect of global warming and vulnerability of the developing countries is more as compared to the developed ones. “The impact of the climate change and global warming would affect agriculture, biodiversity, forests, water resources and human health,” Nerrala said.
He suggested measures for checking the emission of greenhouse gases and ozone depletion.
Chairman in-charge of the university’s PG council P.K. Biswasray said, at present, the common man was not able to figure out difference in seasons and the role of industries in climate change was now the buzzword at the international level. A.S.N. Murty, research coordinator of the Earth sciences and technology cell, explained the effects of ozone depletion and the reasons behind it. Course coordinator of the host department P.K. Mohanty said that Earth’s climate during the past eight lakh years has swung from cool to warm and back.
